1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to circuit breakers with a thermal trip assembly, and more particularly to an arrangement for adjustment of the current/time characteristic value at which the assembly responds.
2. Background Information
It is common in the small circuit breakers used for residential and light commercial or industrial applications to utilize a bimetal to provide a delayed trip in response to persistent overload conditions. The heat generated by the overload condition causes the bimetal to deflect until it actuates a trip mechanism to interrupt the current. Thus, it is also known as a thermal trip. In some applications, it is desirable to allow the user to adjust the thermal trip function. Thus, it is known, for instance, to provide a slide which adjusts a gap between the deflecting bimetal and the trip mechanism. Such an arrangement is not always possible, as where the available location for the adjustment mechanism is substantially spaced from the bimetal within the molded housing of the circuit breaker.
There is need, therefore, for an improved adjustable thermal trip assembly for circuit breakers.
This need and others are: satisfied by the invention, which is directed to an adjustable thermal trip assembly for a circuit breaker comprising a coupler that is adjustable to select the overload current/time characteristic value at which deflection of the free end of a bimetal actuates the trip mechanism of the circuit breaker. This adjustable coupler includes a first pivoted member, a second pivoted member and a coupling member adjustably positioned between the first and second pivoted members to convert pivoting of the first pivoted member by the free end of the bimetal into rotation of the second pivotal member to actuate the trip mechanism after a selected deflection of the free end of the bimetal and therefore in response to a selected current/time characteristic value. The first and second pivoted members can be pivoted about parallel pivot axes with the adjustable coupler including a positioner moving the coupling member selectively toward and away from the parallel pivot axes of the first and second pivot members. The parallel pivot axes of the first and second pivot members can comprise a common pivot axis with the first and second pivot members axially spaced along this common pivot axis. In this case, the coupling member extends axially parallel to the common pivot axis.
The positioner can comprise a rotatable member rotatable about a positioner axis parallel to but laterally displaced from the common pivot axis. In this case, the coupling member can have a mounting arm eccentrically engaging the rotatable member, whereby rotation of the rotatable member effects the movement of the coupling member toward and away from the common pivot axis of the first and second pivot members. This rotatable member can comprise a driven bevel gear in which case the positioner further includes a driving bevel gear meshing with the driven bevel gear and an adjustment knob coupled to the driving bevel gear. The adjustment knob can have an indexer setting discrete rotatable positions of the driving bevel gear and therefore the discrete current/time characteristic values at which the trip mechanism is actuated.
The invention is applicable to single-pole and multipole circuit breakers. In the latter case, where each of the plurality of poles has a bimetal, a first pivoted member mounted on the common pivot axis is associated with each bimetal and the coupling member couples the selected rotation of any of the first pivoted members by the associated bimetal into rotation of the second pivoted member, and therefore actuation of the trip mechanism at the selected current/time characteristic value.
In another embodiment of the invention adapted for use with a multipole circuit breaker each pole has an adjustable coupler with the rotatable member of the positioner of the adjustable coupler of all of the poles mounted on a common shaft rotatable about the positioner axis parallel to but laterally displaced from the common pivot axis. In this arrangement, the rotating member of the positioner of one of the poles can be a driven bevel gear which is engaged by a driving bevel gear that is rotated by an adjustment knob to effect rotation, and therefore, simultaneous adjustment of the current/time characteristic value at which the trip mechanism of each pole is actuated.